The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of rhizome extract of Dioscorea batatas (Dioscoreae Rhizoma, Chinese Yam) and its bioactive compound, allantoin, on myoblast differentiation and mitochondrial biogenesis in skeletal muscle cells. Yams were extracted in water and the extract was analyzed by HPLC. The expression of C2C12 myotubes differentiation and mitochondrial biogenesis regulators were determined by reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR or Western blot. The glucose levels and total ATP contents were determined by glucose consumption, glucose uptake and ATP assays, respectively. Treatment with yam extract (1 mg/mL) and allantoin (0.2 and 0.5 mM) significantly increased of MyHC expression compared with non-treated myotubes. Yam extract and allantoin significantly increased the expression of mitochondrial biogenesis regulating proteins, PGC1?, Sirt-1, NRF-1, and TFAM, as well as the phosphorylation of AMPK and ACC in C2C12 myotubes. Furthermore, yam extract and allantoin significantly increased the glucose uptake levels and the ATP contents. Finally, HPLC analysis revealed that the yam extract contained 1.53% of allantoin. Yam extract and allantoin, stimulated myoblast differentiation into myotubes and increased energy production through upregulation of mitochondrial biogenesis regulators. These findings indicate that yam extract and allantoin can help to prevent the skeletal muscle dysfunction through stimulation of energy metabolism.

As climate changes, our daily life has been much influenced by abnormal meteorological phenomena such as heavy rainfall, heat wave, heavy snowfall, and fine dust. Atmospheric air quality is worsening day by day and indoor air quality is also affected by interconnected daily activities throughout the inside and outside of buildings and houses. Nowadays, pollutants from various sources are emitted, transformed by sunlight, vapor, and ozone and transported into the city from country to country. Due to these reasons, there have been high demands to monitor the transportation of particulate matters and improve air quality. Monitoring of pollutants and identification of type and its concentration enables us to track and control its generation and consequently find out the solution. However, monitoring of pollutants, especially, particulate matter generation and its transportation is still not fully operated in atmospheric air due to its open nature and meteorological factors. Even though indoor air is relatively easy to monitor and control than outdoor in the aspect of specific volume and contaminant source, but it still needs to consider the meteorological parameters because indoor air is not fully separated from the outdoor air flow and contaminants transportation. In this study, optical approach using spectral sensor was attempted to reveal the feasibility of wavelength and chromaticity values of reflected light from specific particles. From the analysis of reflected light of various particulate matters according to different liquid additives, parameter studies were performed to investigate which experimental conditions can contribute to the enhanced selective sensing of particulate matters. Five different particulate matters such as household dust, soil, talc powder, gypsum powder and yellow pine tree pollen were utilized and observed to elucidate the relationship between property of particulate matter and detected light spectrum. Applicable approaches to assist current particle matter sensors and improve the selective sensing were suggested.

Resection of malignant lesions in the oral and maxillofacial area causes functional and morphological defects. To recover from these defects, reconstruction surgery is needed such as a primary closure or a flap. There are advantages and disadvantages to the method of using the primary closure and the flap, and the choice of procedure is entirely up to a surgeon. The purpose of this study is to evaluate availability of primary closure in patients. For 10 years from January 2010 to May 2020, patients who recovered using flaps after removing malignant lesions from the oral cavity and those who closed the lesion using primary closure were investigated. The investigation was conducted by searching the database of the hospital. There were 85 patients who removed malignant lesions in the oral and maxillofacial area, and among them 16 patients closed the soft tissue defects using primary closure. Operation time, histologic types, stages, wound status, and period of hospitalization according to the patients' medical records were investigated retrospectively. Between the staging and the primary closure, statistically significant differences were observed between stage I and stage II patients in 13 patients using the primary closure. (P=0.046). Statistically significant differences were identified between operation time and primary closure, with an average of 4.02 hours (P=0.015). The average period of hospitality for patients who underwent primary closure was 13.4 days, compared to 26.7 days for those who underwent flap surgery. This difference was statistically significant (P=0.0003). This study evaluated the use of primary closure in patients who underwent resection of malignant lesions in the oral and maxillofacial area. Although the majority of patients underwent reconstruction with flaps, our results showed that primary closure can be a viable option for certain patients with early-stage lesions. Therefore, oral and maxillofacial surgeons should carefully consider various evaluation criteria and select appropriate reconstruction methods to optimize functional and aesthetic outcomes for each patient.

Background and Objective: Although whole body-electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) has been shown to favorably improve body composition in several research studies, it has not been confirmed how it affects adipose tissue-derived biomarkers and circumferences of the abdomen and thighs. Materials and Methods: Twenty participants of obese elderly women were randomly classified into an EMS group (EMSG; n = 10) or a non-EMS group (CON; n = 10). The WB-EMS suits used in this study enabled the simultaneous activation of 8 muscle groups with selectable intensities for each phase. Stimulation frequency was selected at 85 Hz, impulse-width at 350 μ seconds, and impulse-rise as a rectangular application. Impulse duration was 6 seconds with a 4-second break between impulses. The EMS sessions were combined with aerobic dancing 3 times a week for 12 weeks. Both groups received the same program; however, the CON did not receive electrical stimuli. Biomarkers and body composition including circumferences of the abdomen and thighs were measured on Week 0 and Week 12. Results: Compared with the CON, 1) a significant effect of the EMS-intervention concerning decreased body weight (p = 0.032) and increased basal metabolic rate (p = 0.029) were evident. The thigh subcutaneous fat and total fat of EMSG were not significantly changed, but those of CON were significantly increased after 12 weeks. 2) The biomarkers of CON either increased or showed no change, although the interleukin (IL)-6 was significantly (p = 0.028) decreased in EMSG. Specifically, C-reactive protein (CRP; p = 0.005) and alpha-fetoprotein (p = 0.050) of CON were significantly increased after 12 weeks. In addition, the IL-6 (p = 0.034), CRP (p = 0.001), carcinoembryonic antigen (p = 0.017), and low density lipoprotein (p = 0.005) of EMSG were lower than those of CON in the end of experiment. 3) Conclusions: The results indicate that EMS intervention improved body composition and reduced negative biomarkers, thus highlighting its effectiveness.

We present a distributed optical-fiber temperature sensor with enhanced sensitivity based on an Al-coated fiber using the Rayleigh backscattering spectra (RBS) shift in optical frequency-domain reflectometry (OFDR). The Al-coated sensing fiber with a higher thermal expansion coefficient compared to silica produces a strain-coupled shift in the RBS under an increase in temperature. This effect leads to an enhanced temperature sensitivity of the distributed measurement scheme. Our results revealed that the temperature sensitivity obtained using the Al-coated fiber in OFDR was ~56% higher relative to that of a single-mode fiber. Moreover, the minimum measurable temperature recorded was 1 °C with a spatial resolution of 5 cm.

The sensitivity of DNBR(Departure from Nucleate Boiling Ratio) values to approaches of subchannel control volume selection has been investigated for the TS01 and TS03 out of HIPER17 CHF(Critical Heat Flux) tests. In general, the coolant-centered subchannel method is applied to subchanel analyses for fuel bundle. When it comes to predicting for CHF of high quality region, however, the rod-centered subchannel method was better over high quality region. As a result, the rod-centered subchannel method were more suitable at a conservative point of view than the coolant-centered subchannel method comparing major properties. Also, it was confirmed that the radial subchannel locations at the minimum DNBR were similar when comparing both analysis results by two kind of methods.

The aim of this work is to study the phase transformations, microstructures and mechanical properties of the martensitic stainless steel (MSS) 410 deposits produced by laser powder-directed energy deposition (LP-DED) additive manufacturing. The LP-DED MSS 410 deposits underwent the post heat treatment in austenitizing at 980℃ for 3hrs and followed by different tempering treatment at the temperatures of 250, 600, and 750℃ for 5hrs, respectively. The analyses of phase transformations and microstructural evolutions of LP-DED MSS 410 were carried out using X-ray diffraction, SEM-EDS, and EBSD. Vickers hardness and tensile strength properties were also measured to analyze the effects of the different tempering heat treatments. It reveals that as-built MSS 410 has very fine lath martensite and high hardness of about 480HV1.0 and tensile strength of about 1280 MPa, but elongation was very lower than the post heat treated ones. Precipitations of chromium carbide (Cr23C6) were most commonly observed at the grain boundaries and the entire matrix at the tempering temperatures of 600℃ and 750℃. In general, the tensile strengths de-creased from 1381MPa to 688MPa as tempering temperatures increased up to 750℃ from 250℃. Additionally, as the tempering temperature increased, the chromium carbide and tempered mar-tensite structures became coarser.

The biological synthesis of nanoparticles has been emerging as an environmentally benign and eco-friendly method owing to its cost-effectiveness and high efficiency. Recently, the biological synthesis of semiconductor and metal-doped semiconductor nanoparticles with enhanced photocatalytic degradation efficiency and anticancer and antibacterial properties have gained tremendous attention. In pursuit of this purpose, for the first time, we biosynthesized zinc oxide (ZnO) and silver/ZnO nanocomposites (NCs) as semiconductor and metal-doped semiconductor nanoparticles, respectively, using the cell-free filtrate (CFF) of Lysinibacillus sphaericus bacterium. The biosynthesized ZnO and Ag/ZnO were characterized by various techniques such as ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform Infrared spectroscopy, Field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The photocatalytic degradation potential of these semiconductor/metal-semiconductor nanoparticles was evaluated against the degradation of azo dye methylene blue (MB) under simulated solar irradiation. Ag/ZnO showed 90.7 ± 0.91% photocatalytic degradation of MB, compared to 50.7 ± 0.53% by ZnO in 120 min. The cytotoxicity of ZnO and Ag/ZnO on human cervical HeLa cancer cells was determined using an MTT assay. Both nanomaterials exhibited cytotoxicity in a concentration-dependent and time-dependent manner on HeLa cells. The antibacterial activity was also determined against Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus). Compared to ZnO, Ag/ZnO NPs showed higher antibacterial activity. Hence, the biosynthesis of semiconductor nanoparticles could be a promising strategy for developing hybrid metal/semiconductor nanomaterials for different biomedical and environmental applications.

The purpose of this paper is to find the time optimal control to a target set for semilinear stochastic functional differential equations involving time delays or memories under general conditions on a target set and nonlinear terms even though the equations contain unbounded principal operators. Our research approach is construct a fundamental solution for corresponding linear systems and establish variations of constant formula of solutions for given stochastic equations. The existence result of time optimal controls for one point target set governed by the given semilinear stochastic equation is also established.

Due to wood’s susceptibility to fire, it is crucial to treat wood-based materials with flame retardants, especially in construction applications. This study investigated the effectiveness of various grooving types, including transverse, longitudinal, both transverse and longitudinal, and surface grooving, in enhancing larch's vacuum pressure impregnation process. The results revealed that transverse grooving provided a slightly greater impregnation advantage than longitudinal grooving. Moreover, exceptional impregnation performance was observed in larch samples subjected to both longitudinal and transverse grooving and surface grooving, exhibiting a remarkable improvement of 214,7 % compared to untreated larch.

The phylogenetic relationships among the Peninsular Malaysian orchid genus Coelogyne were studied by morphological characteristics and by sequencing the internal transcribed region (ITS) from the nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA). Coelogyne is a large genus of about 200 species distributed in pantropical areas from the Himalayas, Sri Lanka, India, Southern China and throughout South East Asia to Papua New Guinea. The widely accepted previous classification system was exclusively based on floral morphology. There were very few molecular systematic studies of Coelogyne done in Peninsular Malaysia thus far. In this study, 59 Coelogyne taxa were collected from throughout Peninsular Malaysia and 57 of them were identified to the species level. To study the phylogeny of this genus, morphological characters were utilized together with molecular evidences to generate the systematic hypotheses. Cluster analysis was performed using both the vegetative and floral characters. The results showed that three sections of Peninsular Malaysian Coelogyne, namely Longifoliae, Speciosae and Fuliginosae were sister groups which were more closely related by forming one clade than they were with the other sections. Another clade consisted of four other sections, namely Flaccidae, Coelogynae, Tomentosae and Verrucosae. Molecular phylogenies obtained by using the Neighbour Joining method revealed the close relationship between the sections Tomentosae and Verrucosae, whereas usage of the Maximum Likelihood method demonstrated that three sections namely Longifoliae, Speciosae and Fuliginosae were sister groups since they formed a single clade.

Suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) influence cytokine and growth factor signaling by negatively regulating the JAK-STAT pathway. This maintains homeostasis during host immune response. However, functional characterization of SOCS family members in invertebrates is limited. In this study, we discovered the Type-I subfamily of the SOCS genes in the mealworm beetle, T. molitor. The full-length ORFs of TmSOCS5, TmSOCS6, and TmSOCS7 consisted of 1,389, 897 and 1,458 nucleotides, encoding polypeptides of 462, 297 and 485 amino acids, respectively, The C-terminal region of TmSOCS was highly conserved in the SH2 and SOCS box domains. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the three SOCS genes clustered within the same sub-family and the highest amino acid identity was with the Tribolium castaneum SOCS genes (TcSOCS). While the expression of TmSOCS5 and TmSOCS6 was low in larval, pupal, and adult stages of the insect, TmSOCS7 showed higher expression. The expression of TmSOCS5 and TmSOCS6 was higher in larval hemocytes and adult ovary. The microbes expressed the three TmSOCS genes to varying degrees. C. albicans elicited the strongest response in the host with highest 15-fold expression in TmSOCS7 3 h post-inoculation. Collectively, these data suggest that the Type I TmSOCS could play a role in eliciting host immunity.

Suitable soil structure and nutrient security are important for plant growth and development, characteristics of soil fractal dimension and distribution of physical and chemical properties and their interactions play an important role in studying the stability of soil structure and water and fertilizer cycles. As a sustainable management model, intercropping has positive benefits for erosion control, spatial optimization of resources, as well as improving system productivity. The effects of four intercropping methods on soil fractal dimension and physicochemical properties were investigated by intercropping Salvia miltiorrhiza with forage and S. miltiorrhiza with forest under typical karst rock desertification habitats in Guizhou. The results showed that soil nutrient content of intercropping was significantly higher than that of monoculture, the organic carbon content of soil grown under forest is higher than other treatments, and there was a non-significant change in soil water content of intercropping compared with monoculture. The soil fine-grained matter of intercropping was significantly higher than that of monoculture, while the soil fractal dimension showed a tendency to become larger with the increase of fine-grained matter. The intercropping planting, due to its component types and spatial and temporal configurations, leads to differences in soil water and fertilizer interactions, which can be combined with other ecological restoration measures to optimize the composite model and jointly promote the restoration and development of ecologically fragile areas.

In recent years, bone tissue engineering (BTE) has made significant progress in promoting the direct and functional connection between bone and graft, including osseointegration and osteoconduction, to facilitate the healing of damaged bone tissues. Herein, we introduce a new, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective method for synthesizing reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and hydroxyapatite (HAp). The method uses epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG) as a reducing agent to synthesize rGO (E-rGO), and HAp powder is obtained from Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus). The physicochemical analysis indicated that the E-rGO/HAp composites had exceptional properties for use as BTE scaffolds, as well as high purity. Moreover, we discovered that E-rGO/HAp composites facilitated not only proliferation, but also early and late osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Our work suggests that E-rGO/HAp composites may play a significant role in promoting the spontaneous osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs, and we envision that the E-rGO/HAp composites could serve as promising candidates for BTE scaffolds, stem cell differentiation stimulators, and implantable device components due to their biocompatible and bioactive properties. Overall, we suggest a new approach for developing cost-effective and environmentally friendly E-rGO/HAp composite materials for BTE application.

Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) established a multi-dimensional hydrogen analysis system to evaluate a hydrogen release, distribution, and combustion in the containment of a nuclear power plant using MAAP, GASFLOW, and COM3D. KAERI developed the COM3D analysis methodology on the basis of the COM3D validation results against the experiments of ENACCEF and THAI. The proposed analysis methodology accurately predicts the peak overpressure with an error range of approximately ±10% using the Kawanabe turbulent flame speed model. KAERI performed a hydrogen flame acceleration analysis using the multi-dimensional hydrogen analysis system for a severe accident initiated by a station blackout (SBO) under the assumption of 100% metal-water reaction in the reactor pressure vessel for evaluating an overpressure buildup in the Advanced Power Reactor 1400 MWe (APR1400). The COM3D calculation results using the established analysis methodology showed that the calculated peak pressure in the containment was much lower than the fracture pressure of the APR1400 containment. This calculation result may have resulted from a large air volume of the containment, a reduced hydrogen concentration owing to passive auto-catalytic recombiners installed in the containment, and a lot of stem presence during the hydrogen flame acceleration in the containment. Therefore, we can know that the current design of the APR1400 containment maintains its integrity when the flame acceleration occurs during the severe accident initiated by the SBO accident.

In the crustacean immune system, leucine-rich repeat (LRR) is one of the major structures for recognizing pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). LRR domain-containing proteins belong to the LRR family, which is a large group of proteins with more than 6000 genes in the database. They are involved in very diverse physiological functions mainly by interacting with other proteins. In a previous study, the LvLRRm, a transmembrane protein containing only LRR domain, was identified in the white leg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. Its versatile role in performing multiple immunomodulation activities has been reported. However, there is still a lack of research on its efficient function at the protein level. To investigate its interactions with other proteins, we applied a convenient method called ‘Hybrid LRR technique’ to produce a recombinant LvLRRm. The LvLRRm and hagfish’s variable lymphocyte receptors (VLRs) fragments were fused to the conserved LxxLxLxxN motif while retaining the β-strand. In addition, we established interactions between hybrid-proteins and flagellin of Salmonella by performing surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis. The designed hybrid proteins showed potential for universal applications without losing protein functions.

Herein, we developed a highly sensitive and specific bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC)-based influenza A virus (IAV) sensing system created by combining a galactose/glucose-binding protein (GGBP) with an N-terminal large domain (YN1-172) and a C-terminal small domain (YC173-239) of enhanced yellow fluorescence protein (eYFP). The GGBP-based BiFC reporter exhibits the fluorescence reconstitution as a result of conformational changes in GGBP when lactose, derived from 6’-silalyllactose used as a substrate for neuraminidase (NA), binds to GGBP in the presence of IAV. The system showed a linear dynamic range from 1 x 100 TCID50/mL to 1 x 107 TCID50/mL, with a detection limit of 4 x 101 TCID50/mL for IAV (H1N1), demonstrating ultra-high sensitivity. Our system exhibited fluorescence intensity enhancements in the presence of IAV, while displaying weak fluorescence signals when exposed to NA-deficient viruses such as RSV A, RSV B, adenovirus and rhinovirus, thereby indicating selective responses for IAV detection. Taken together, our system provides a simple, highly sensitive and specific IAV detection platform based on BiFC capable of detecting the ligand-induced protein conformational changes, obviating the need for virus culture or RNA extraction processes.

Studies have shown increased nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM) incidence with inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) use in patients with chronic respiratory diseases; however, this association in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains insufficiently studied. Using a nationwide population-based database of the Korean National Health Insurance Service, newly diagnosed COPD patients (20052018) treated with inhaled bronchodilators were selected. An NTM case was defined by the presence of the first diagnostic code following inhaled bronchodilator use. Results indicated that ICS users did not have an increased risk of NTM disease compared to non-ICS users (hazard ratio [HR], 1.121; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.9501.323; p = 0.1755). The highest quartile of the cumulative ICS dose was associated with the development of NTM (1.200, 0.9501.323, p = 0.0497). Medium (1.229, 1.0081.499, p = 0.0410) and high daily doses of ICS (1.637, 1.2412.160, p = 0.0005) were associated with an increased risk of NTM disease. There was no difference in the risk of NTM according to ICS type. ICS use may not increase the risk of developing NTM disease in patients with COPD. However, physicians should weigh the potential benefits and risks of ICS, especially when using high doses and prolonged durations.

Previous studies had shown that mRNA, miRNA and lncRNA were associated with cardiovascular diseases. The study was aimed to explore the differential expressions of mRNA, lncRNA and miRNA between coronary artery disease (CAD) and healthy control, and their interaction in CAD. We investigated the differential expression of ceRNA between CAD and healthy control through data collected from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) microarrays. Furthermore, we investigated the biological function of these differential expressions of ceRNAs by Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was created to identify the hub genes. Biosystems and literature search were performed for signaling pathways and their function of the included differential expression ceRNAs. A total of 456 miRNA expression profiles, 16,325 mRNA expression profiles, and 2,869 lncRNA expression profiles were obtained. Eleven Go and KEGG pathways (count ≥9), top 15 of PPI network node connectivity rank, and top 15 of ceRNA network node degree centrality rank were achieved at the statistical significance level (P<0.05). We further identified that several differential expressions of ceRNAs and their signaling pathways were associated with CAD through biosystems and literature search. Based on eleven Go and KEGG pathways, top 15 of PPI network node connectivity rank, and top 15 of ceRNA network node degree centrality rank in CAD population, our findings would contribute to further exploration for the molecular mechanism of CAD.

To solve the problem that sampling-based Rapidly-exploring Random Tree (RRT) method is difficult to guarantee optimality. This paper proposed the Post Triangular Processing of Midpoint Interpolation method minimized the planning time and shorter path length of the sampling-based algorithm. The proposed Post Triangular Processing of Midpoint Interpolation method makes a closer to the optimal path and somewhat solves the sharp path problem through the interpolation process. The experiments were conducted to verify the performance of the proposed method. Applying the method proposed in this paper to the RRT algorithm increases the efficiency of optimization compared to the planning time.

We investigated the characteristics of surface wind speeds and temperatures predicted by the local data assimilation and prediction system (LDAPS) operated by the Korean Meteorological Administration. First, we classified automated weather stations (AWSs) into four categories [urban flat (Uf), rural flat (Rf), rural mountainous (Rm), and rural coastal (Rc) terrains] based on the surrounding land cover and topography, and selected 25 AWSs representing each category. Then we calculated the mean bias error of wind speed (WE) and temperature (TE) using AWS observations and LDAPS predictions for the 25 AWSs in each category for a period of 1 year (January–December 2015). We found that LDAPS overestimated wind speed (average WE = 1.26 m s–1) and underestimated temperature (average TE = –0.63°C) at Uf AWSs located on flat terrain in urban areas because it failed to reflect the drag and local heating caused by buildings. At Rf, located on flat terrain in rural areas, LDAPS showed the best performance in predicting surface wind speed and temperature (average WE = 0.42 m s–1, average TE = 0.12°C). In mountainous rural terrain (Rm), WE and TE were strongly correlated with differences between LDAPS and actual altitude. LDAPS underestimated (overestimated) wind speed (temperature) for LDAPS altitudes that were lower than actual altitude, and vice versa. In rural coastal terrain (Rc), LDAPS temperature predictions depended on whether the grid was on land or sea, whereas wind speed did not depend on grid location. LDAPS underestimated temperature at grid points on the sea, with smaller TE obtained for grid points on sea than on land.

When disposing of waste metal resources in landfills, environmental issues such as soil contamination may arise. Recycling these resources not only recovers valuable metals but also mitigates environmental pollution. Platinum (Pt), a valuable metal used in fuel cells for its high water production activity, will see increased future demand as a fossil fuel alternative. This study analyzes the environmental and resource reduction effects of recycled Pt, considering the growing emphasis on its recycling for stable supply and demand of Pt. The environmental impact and resource consumption of recycled Pt with primary Pt (from natural mines) were compared and analyzed using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) technique. Results revealed that resource consumption for primary Pt was 8.25E+01 kg Sb-eq./kg, significantly more than the 5.45E+00 kg Sb-eq./kg for recycled Pt. This represents an environmental reduction effect of approximately 93%. In the case of greenhouse gas emissions, primary Pt emitted 1.35E+04 kg CO2-eq./kg, while recycled Pt emitted 6.94E+02 kg CO2-eq./kg, resulting in an environmental reduction effect of approximately 95%. In conclusion, recycling Pt, compared to primary extraction, offers substantial environmental and resource reduction benefits. This study underscores the significance of recycling and highlights the potential environmental improvements achievable through sustainable practices.

To expand the application scope and increase the demand for non-crimp fabrics (NCFs) as a lightweight vehicle material, the delamination and thermal strain in NCF composites must be restricted. Accordingly, to simultaneously improve the interfacial bonding and thermal stability of the NCF composites, in this study the epoxy resin, in which SiO2 nanoparticles was modified by a silane coupling agent, were infused to the stacked NCFs and between the layers of NCFs through the vacuum-assisted resin infusion molding (VARIM) process.

Purpose: To evaluate clinical outcomes after bilateral mix-and-match cataract surgery using extended depth of focus (EDOF) and diffractive multifocal (DMF) intraocular lenses (IOLs). Methods: Thirty-seven patients received Tecnis Symfony EDOF IOL (ZXR00) implantation in the dominant eye, and Tecnis +3.25 DMF IOL (ZLB00) in the non-dominant eye. Patients were followed for 3 months, and uncorrected and corrected distance visual acuity (UDVA, CDVA) , uncorrected intermediate and near visual acuity (UIVA, UNVA), contrast sensitivity, defocus curves, stereopsis, and patient satisfaction were assessed. Results: At 3 months, mean logMAR UDVA was 0.07 ± 0.09 in EDOF IOL eyes, 0.12 ± 0.11 in DMF IOL eyes, and 0.02 ± 0.05 in both eyes. UIVA was 0.11 ± 0.11 in EDOF IOL eyes, 0.16 ± 0.12 in DMF IOL eyes, and 0.04 ± 0.07 in both eyes. UNVA was 0.25 ± 0.15 in EDOF IOL eyes, 0.22 ± 0.16 in DMF IOL eyes, and 0.13 ± 0.13 in both eyes. Thirty patients(81.1%) were more than satisfied with near vision, and 8 patients(21.6%) complained of severe glare and halo. Spectacle independence for near vision was achieved in 34 patients(91.9%), and 31 patients(83.8%) had better than a 50 second arc of stereopsis. Conclusion: Mix-and-match cataract surgery with EDOF and DMF IOL implantation provided good visual outcomes through all distances. Also excellent patient satisfaction was achieved with high level of spectacle independence and minimal photic phenomena.

In this study, we investigated the effects of Akebia quinata ethanol extract (AE), Akebia quinata sikhye (AS), and Akebia quinata water extract (AW) on alcohol-induced liver injury in rats. The hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and antioxidant effects of AE, AS, and AW were examined. Experimental animals were randomly divided into five groups: normal, ethanol, AE (10 mL/kg), AS (10 mL/kg), and AW (10 mL/kg). Each group was administered the respective treatment orally once per day for 21 days. CYP2E1 mRNA expression was significantly lower in the AE, AS, and AW groups than that in the ethanol group. Pro-inflammatory cytokines including cyclooxygenase-2, IL-6, and TNF-α increased significantly in the ethanol group but these increases were ameliorated with AE, AS, and AW treatment. Moreover, the expression of the apoptosis-associated proteins Bax, p53, procaspase-3, and PARP decreased after treatment with AE, AS, and AW. The expression of antioxidant enzymes including BCL-2, SOD, and GST slightly decreased in the ethanol group, but AE, AS, and AW treatment augmented their activities. AQ extracts and AS attenuated ethanol-induced increases in the levels of phosphorylated p-AKT, p-ERK, and p-JNK. These results demonstrate that AQ is a competence indicator for inhibiting alcoholic liver injury.

In the context of high-temperature water vapor treatment, Zn-Mg-Al alloy-coated steel sheets exhibit the emergence of a black surface. This study aims to explore the factors and mechanisms contributing to surface blackening by inducing black surfaces on Zn-Mg-Al alloy-coated steel sheets, which were fabricated through molten coating subjected to water vapor treatment at 150 degrees Celsius. The surfaced composition was predominantly identified as ZnO, a zinc oxide film, validated through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Morphological analysis of the surface and cross-section post-water vapor treatment revealed a disrupted lamellar structure with diffused features, resulting in the formation of an oxide film. Optical properties analysis demonstrated an increased absorbance and a decreased bandgap energy after water vapor treatment, indicative of an augmented blackening effect. Consequently, the high-temperature water vapor treatment led to the formation of oxides on the surface, with the highly reactive Mg and Al extracting oxygen from the predominantly present ZnO surface. This process resulted in the creation of an oxygen-deficient oxide, ultimately causing surface blackening.

Sphingolipids are ubiquitous in eukaryotes and certain prokaryotes, where they serve as vital components of biological membranes and as bioactive molecules. Chloroplasts have complex membrane structures that play crucial roles in photosynthesis, but their specific sphingolipidome remains unreported. In this study, we used high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) to analyze the sphingolipidome of purified Arabidopsis thaliana chloroplasts. We detected 92 chloroplast sphingolipids. The chloroplast sphingolipidome differed from total leaf (TL) samples, having a higher content of free long-chain bases and hydroxyceramides, and a greater proportion of complex sphingolipids with 16C fatty acid (FA) forms. Notably, chloroplast glucosylceramides were predominantly the d18:1 h16:0 and t18:1 h16:0 forms, rather than the 24C FA form found in TL and other cellular structures. Comparing the sphingolipidomes of different cellular structures underscores the inhomogeneity of intracellular distribution of sphingolipids. This provides a robust reference for further elucidating the function of sphingolipids in plant cells.

Directed Energy Deposition (DED) is a process that enables high-speed deposition with a sub-millimeter thickness using laser technology. Thus far, defect studies on additive manufacturing, including DED, have focused mostly on preventing pores and crack defects that reduce fatigue strength. On the other hand, evaporation products, fumes and spatters, generated by the high energy have often been neglected despite being some of the main causes of porosity and defects. In high-quality metal deposition, the problems caused by evaporation products are difficult to solve, but they have not yet caught the attention of metallurgists and physicists. This review examines the effect of the laser, material, and process parameters on the evaporation products to help obtain a high-quality metal film layer in thin-DED.

A high-voltage transmission tower consists of structures to avoid the risk of electric shock and to prevent the risk of collapse. Hence, towers are generally designed to be high-rise for efficiency. The main posts of the tower are primary structural members that resist loads under various load conditions. Therefore, the contribution of the secondary member to securing the stiffness and strength of the main posts by reducing the effective buckling length is important. However, there are no detailed design criteria for secondary members. In this study, the structural effects of horizontal members and braces on the torsional stiffness, elastic buckling strength, and load-carrying capacity of transmission towers were observed through various structural analysis methods including linear-elastic, eigenvalue, and geometric nonlinear and inelastic analyses under governing load combinations. According to the analytical study, rather than the horizontal members, the brace spacing significantly affects the structural performance. Therefore, the number of horizontal members can be minimized if sufficient brace members are erected. If the brace spacing is wide, it is recommended that the horizontal members be erected to create K bracing, and the buckling resistance of the main posts can be thus enhanced.

Breath volatile organic compound analysis is a non-invasive tool for assessing health status; the compositional profile of these compounds in the breath of patients with chronic kidney disease is believed to change with decreasing renal function. We aimed to identify breath volatile organic compounds for recognizing patients with chronic kidney disease. Using thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, untargeted analysis of breath markers was performed using breath samples of healthy controls (n=18) versus non-dialysis (n=21) and hemodialysis (n=12) patients with chronic kidney disease in this cross-sectional study. A total of 303 volatile organic compounds alongside 12 clinical variables were used to determine the breath volatile organic compound profile. Metabolomic analysis revealed that age, systolic blood pressure, and fifty-eight breath volatile organic compounds differed significantly between the chronic kidney disease group (non-dialysis + hemodialysis) and healthy controls. Thirty-six volatile organic compounds and two clinical variables that showed significant associations with chronic kidney disease in the univariate analysis were further analyzed. Different spectras of breath volatile organic compounds between the control and chronic kidney disease groups were obtained. Multivariate model incorporating age, 2-methyl-pentane, and cyclohexanone showed high performance (accuracy, 86%) in identifying patients with chronic kidney disease, with odds ratios (95% confidence interval) P-values of 0.18 (0.07-2.49) 0.013; 2.10 (0.94-2.24) 0.025; and 2.31 (0.88–2.64) 0.008, respectively. Hence, renal dysfunction-associated characteristic profiles of breath volatile organic substances can be used as non-invasive markers to screen for chronic kidney disease.

: Cnidium officinale Makino, a perennial crop in the Umbeliperae family, is harvested in the summer for medicinal purposes. The average temperature in Korea has recently increased, and consequently, the area used to cultivate C. officinale has been reduced, and plant disease and soil sickness have increased. In this study, rhizosphere bacteria were isolated from C. officinale, and their antagonistic activity evaluated against Fusarium solani, which is a major issue during repeated cultivation. Twenty-eight strains were isolated from the root and rhizosphere soil, of which seven showed antagonistic activity against F. solani and were further investigated. An in planta test found that the dead rate of shoots was significantly lower in the group inoculated with PT1 isolated from the root tissue and that the fresh and dry weights were also higher, when compared with the other groups. PT1 was thus considered to have antagonistic activity against F. solani. The 16S rRNA analysis identified the PT1 as Leclercia adecarboxylata, and downstream studies confirmed the production of enzymes related to antagonism, such as siderophore and N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase. The phosphorous solubilizing ability and secretion of related enzymes were also confirmed. The results indicate that PT1 could be utilized as a PGPR to help control fusarium wilt.

Surface area and pore size distribution of Eucalyptus samples pretreated by different methods were determined by the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) technique. Three methods were applied to prepare cellulosic biomass samples for BET measurements: air, freeze, and critical point drying (CPD). Air and freeze drying caused severe collapse of biomass pore structures, but CPD effectively preserved biomass morphology. Surface area of CPD prepared Eucalyptus samples was determined to be 58–161 m2/g, whereas air and freeze dried samples were 0.5–1.3 and 1.0–2.4 m2/g, respectively. Average pore diameter of CPD prepared Eucalyptus samples were 61–70Å. CPD preserved Eucalyptus sample morphology by replacing water with a non-polar solvent, CO2 fluid, which prevented hydrogen bond reformation in the cellulose.

Motivated by empirical observations, we propose a possible extension of Gibrat's law. By applying it into the random growth theory of income distribution (Gabaix, 2009), we find that the income distribution is described by a generalized Pareto-type distribution (GPD) with three parameters. We observe that there is a parameter /elta in the GPD that plays a key role in determining the shape of income distribution. By using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, we empirically show that, for typical market-economy countries, /elta is close to 0 significantly, such that the income distribution is characterized by a two-class pattern in which the bottom 90% of the population is approximated by an exponential distribution and the richest 1%~3% is approximated by an asymptotic power law. However, we empirically find that, for China both in planned economy period and in early stages of market reformation (from 1978 to 1990), /elta is significantly deviated from 0, such that the bottom of the population no longer conforms to an exponential distribution.

The aim of this study was to analyze whether the respiratory variation in ECG standard lead II R-wave amplitude (ΔRDII) could be used to assess intravascular volume status following inferior vena cava (IVC) clamping. This clamping causes an acute decrease in cardiac output during liver transplantation (LT). We retrospectively compared ΔRDII and related variables before and after IVC clamping in 34 recipients. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and area under the curve (AUC) analyses were used to derive a cutoff value of ΔRDII for predicting pulse pressure variation (PPV). After IVC clamping, cardiac output significantly decreased while ΔRDII significantly increased (P = 0.002). The cutoff value of ΔRDII for predicting a PPV >13% was 16.9% (AUC: 0.685) with a sensitivity of 57.9% and specificity of 77.6% (95% confidence interval 0.561 – 0.793, P = 0.015). Frequency analysis of ECG also significantly increased in the respiratory frequency band (P = 0.016). Although significant changes in ΔRDII during vena cava clamping were found at norepinephrine doses < 0.1 μg/kg/min (P = 0.014), such changes were not significant at norepinephrine doses > 0.1 μg/kg/minP = 0.093). ΔRDII could be a noninvasive dynamic parameter in LT recipients presenting with hemodynamic fluctuation. Based on our data, we recommended cautious interpretation of ΔRDII may be requisite according to vasopressor administration status.

Little is known about the effect of statin use in lung cancer development in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). We analyzed the database of the National Health Insurance Service to further investigate the clinical impacts of statin on lung cancer development and overall survival (OS) in IPF patients. The analysis included 9,182 individuals diagnosed with IPF, of which 3,372 (36.7%) were statin users. Compared to statin non-users, the time from diagnosis of IPF to lung cancer development and OS were longer in statin users in IPF patients. In Cox proportional hazard regression models, higher statin compliance, statin use, and being female had an inverse association with lung cancer risk, while older age at diagnosis of IPF and smoking history were associated with higher risk of lung cancer in IPF patients. For OS, statin use, female sex, higher exercise frequency, and diabetes were associated with longer survival. In contrast, older age at diagnosis of IPF and smoking history were associated with shorter OS in IPF patients. These data from a large population indicate that statin had an independent protective association with lung cancer development and mortality in IPF patients.

Recently, cobalt iron boron (CoFeB) thin films have been widely investigated to apply to magnetic sensors, due to their high magnetic moment, anisotropy, and stability. However, most of these studies are conducted on rigid silicon substrates. For more diverse applications of magnetic sensors and angle sensors, it is important to explore the properties of ferromagnetic thin films grown on non-rigid deformable substrates. Here, using representative deformable substrates such as polyimide (PI), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) that can be bent or stretched, we report experimental comparison of in-plane magnetic field angle-dependent properties of the amorphous Ta/CoFeB/MgO/Ta thin film which is grown on those deformable substrates. We investigate effects of substrate roughness, tensile stress, characteristics of deformable substrates, and sputtering process on the change of magnetic properties like coercive field (Hc), remanence over saturation magnetization (Mr/Ms), and their biaxial characteristics. This work presents unconventional foundations for exploring deformable magnetic sensors capable of detecting magnetic field angle.

This paper proposed a triangular inequality-based rewiring method for the Rapidly exploring Random Tree (RRT)-Connect robot path-planning algorithm that guarantees the planning time compared to the RRT algorithm, to bring it closer to the optimum. To check the proposed algorithm’s performance, this paper compared the RRT and RRT-Connect algorithms in various environments through simulation. From these experimental results, the proposed algorithm shows both quicker planning time and shorter path length than the RRT algorithm and shorter path length than the RRT-Connect algorithm with a similar number of samples and planning time.

The post-weld heat treatment (PWHT) cracking susceptibility of a coarse grain heat-affected zone (CGHAZ) in SA213-T23 (2.25Cr-1.6W steel), used for boiler tubes employed in thermal power plants, was investigated using a Gleeble thermal cycle simulator. The PWHT cracking susceptibility test was performed at 650℃, 700℃ and 750℃, and it can be judged that the lower the reduce of area, the more susceptible it is to PWHT cracking. The results of the test also showed higher cracking susceptibility at 650℃ and 700℃, mostly involving intergranular fracture, while at 750℃, transgranular fracture was exhibited. Therefore, the PWHT cracking susceptibility is considered to be closely related to grain boundary. The microstructure of the simulated CGHAZ and PWHT at 650℃, 700℃and 750℃ was observed after etching with nital and alkaline sodium picrate etchants. Alkaline sodium picrate etched microstructures showed a white band at the grain boundary at 650℃, 700℃ and 750, that did not appear in nital etching. Analysis of the white band using EPMA, TEM and nanoindentation revealed that it was intergranular ferrite depleted with C, W and Cr as compared to that in the matrix. Based on these results, we investigated the mechanism of intergranular ferrite formation during PWHT and its effect on PWHT cracking susceptibility at 650℃, 700℃ and 750℃.

Eight compounds were isolated from the roots of Glycyrrhiza uralensis and tested for cholinesterase (ChE) and monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitory activities. Glycyrol (GC) effectively inhibited butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) with IC50 values of 7.22 and 14.77 µM, respectively, and also moderately inhibited MAO-B (29.48 µM). Six of the other seven compounds only weakly inhibited AChE and BChE, whereas liquiritin apioside moderately inhibited AChE (IC50 = 36.68 µM). Liquiritigenin (LG) potently inhibited MAO-B (IC50 = 0.098 µM) and MAO-A (IC50 = 0.27 µM), and liquiritin, a glycoside of LG, weakly inhibited MAO-B (&gt; 40 µM). GC was a reversible, noncompetitive inhibitor of BChE with a Ki value of 4.47 µM, and LG was a reversible competitive inhibitor of MAO-B with a Ki value of 0.024 µM. Docking simulations showed that the binding affinity of GC for BChE (-7.8 kcal/mol) was greater than its affinity for AChE (-7.1 kcal/mol), and suggested that GC interacted with BChE at Thr284 and Val288 by hydrogen bonds (distances: 2.42 and 1.92 Å, respectively) beyond the ligand binding site of BChE, but that GC did not form hydrogen bond with AChE. The binding affinity of LG for MAO-B (-8.8 kcal/mol) was greater than its affinity for MAO-A (-7.9 kcal/mol). These findings suggest GC and LG should be considered promising compounds for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease with multi-targeting activities.

An outbreak of occupational methanol poisoning occurred in small-scale 3rd tier factories of large-scale smartphone manufacturer, in the Republic of Korea, in 2016. To investigate the working environment and the health effect of the methanol exposure among co-workers of the methanol poisoning cases, we performed a cross sectional study on 155 workers at the five aluminum CNC cutting factories. Air and urinary methanol concentration were measured by gas chromatography, and health examination included symptoms, ophthalmological examinations and neurobehavioral tests. Multiple logistic regression analyses controlled for age and sex were conducted for revealing association of employment duration with symptoms. Air concentrations of methanol in factory A and E were ranged from 228.5 to 2220.0 ppm. Mean urinary methanol concentrations of the workers in each factory were from 3.5 mg/L up to 91.2 mg/L. The odds ratios for symptom of deteriorating vision and CNS increased, according to the employment duration, after adjusting for age and sex. Four cases with injured optic nerve and two cases with decreased neurobehavioral function were founded among co-workers of the victims. This study showed that the methanol exposure under poor environmental control not only produce eye and CNS symptoms but also affect neurobehavioral function and optic nerve.

Since electrical resistivity of concrete can be measured in a more rapid and simple way than chloride diffusivity, it should be primarily regular quality control of the electrical resistivity of concrete which provides the basis for indirect of quality control of concrete durability during the concrete construction. If this is realized, the electrical resistivity of concrete can be a crucial parameter to establish maintenance strategy for marine concrete structures. Electrical resistivity of concrete is important to estimate two processes involved in corrosion of reinforcement: initiation (chloride penetration) and propagation (corrosion rate). The resistivity of concrete structure exposed to chloride indicates the risk of early corrosion damage, because a low resistivity is related to rapid chloride penetration and to high corrosion rate. Concrete resistivity is a geometry-independent material property that describes the electrical resistance, which is the ratio between applied voltage and resulting current in a unit cell. The current is carried by ions dissolved in the pore liquid. While some data exist on the relationship between moisture content on electrical resistivity of concrete, very little research has been conducted to evaluate the effect of chloride on the conduction of electricity through concrete. The purpose of this study is to examine and quantify the effect of pore water and chloride content on surface electrical resistivity measurement of concrete. It was obvious that chloride content had influenced the resistivity of concrete and the relationship showed a linear function. That is, concrete with chloride ions had a comparatively lower resistivity. Chloride can lead to underestimate the electrical resistivity of concrete. Conclusively, this paper suggested the quantitative solution to depict the electrical resistivity of concrete with various chloride contents.

This paper proposes two max-pooling engines, named the RTB-MAXP engine and the CMB-MAXP engine, with a scalable window size parameter for FPGA-based convolutional neural network (CNN) implementation. The max-pooling operation for the CNN can be decomposed into two stages, i.e., a horizontal axis max-pooling operation and a vertical axis max-pooling operation. These two one-dimensional max-pooling operations are performed by tracking the rank of the values within the window in the RTB-MAXP engine and cascading the maximum operations of the values in CMB-MAXP engine. Both the RBM-MAXP engine and the CMB-MAXP engine were implemented using VHSIC Hardware Description Language (VHDL) and verified by simulations. They have been employed for and tested in our CNN accelerator targeting at the CNN model YOLOv4-CSP-S-Leaky for object detection.

In the process of use and manufacture, carbon fiber foam sandwich structures were often damaged by low-energy impact, resulting in performance degradation. Therefore, it was necessary to study the damage caused by low-speed impact of composite sandwich structures. In this paper, based on Hashin failure criterion, an equivalent finite element model of carbon fiber foam sandwich panel under low velocity impact was established. The model was used to simulate the damage of foam sandwich panel with [±45°/±45°/ (core) /±45°/±45°] ply structure under the impact energy of 10.58J, 21.17J, 31.75J and 42.34J. The simulation results of impact damage depth were compared with the experimental results. The error was less than 10%, which proved the rationality of the impact equivalent model. The model was used to predict and analyze the damage of foam sandwich panels with [±45°/ (core) /±45°], [±45°/ (0°, 90°) / (core) /±45°] and [±45°/ (0°, 90°) (core) / (0°, 90°) /±45°] ply structures under 21.17J impact energy. By comparing and analyzing the damage situation, impact force response time and impact velocity response time, the low energy impact resistance was analyzed. The results showed that increasing the number of ply structure of [±45°] can reduce the impact damage degree and improve the bearing capacity of sandwich panels.

The purpose of this study is to compare and analyze the kinematic characteristics of the upper limb segments during the archery shooting of Paralympic Wheelchair Class archers (ARW2 - second wheelchair class – paraplegia or comparable disability) and Paralympic Standing Class archers (ARST - standing archery class – loss of 25 points in the upper limbs or lower limbs), where archers are classified according to their disability grade among elite disabled archers. The participants of this study were selected as seven elite athletes with disabilities, 4 ARW2, and 3 ARST. The analysis variables were 1) the time required for each phase, 2) the angle of inclination of the body center, 3) the change of trajectory of body center, and 4) the change of movement locus of bow center by phase when performing six shots in total. The ARW2 group showed a longer time than the ARST group, and the angle of the body did not show a significant difference between the two groups. Although there was no significant difference in the mean score between the two groups, it was judged that kinematic performance according to each group was, in that there was a measurable variation in kinematic variables.

In the permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) drive system, the unwilling and ear-piercing vibro-acoustics caused by high-frequency sideband harmonics becomes unacceptable in the electric vehicle application. In this paper, a modified space vector pulse-width modulation (SVPWM) technique implemented with hybrid carrier frequency modulation (HCFM) is provided to reduce the sideband current harmonic components and vibro-acoustic responses. The principle and implementation of the proposed HCFM technique are firstly presented, in which the fixed carrier frequency is improved with the sawtooth and random signal-based coupling modulation based on the rotor position. For verification, the experiment tests are carried out on a prototype 12/10 PMSM and microcontroller unit. The effectiveness of the HCFM technique can hence be confirmed, in which the sideband vibro-acoustics reduction shows more effectively than that in conventional random PWM. The proposed approach may provide a new route in noise-cancelling and electromagnetic compatibility for the electric drive powertrain.

Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is an important biological mediator involved in the defense against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection. Currently, there are no reports on the mycobacterial components that regulate PGE2 production. Previously, we have reported that RpfE-treated dendritic cells (DCs) effectively expanded the Th1 and Th17 cell responses simultaneously; however, the mechanism underlying Th1 and Th17 cell differentiation is unclear. Here, we show that PGE2 produced by RpfE-activated DCs via the MAPK and cyclooxygenase 2 signaling pathways induces Th1 and Th17 cell responses mainly via the EP4 receptor. Furthermore, mice administered intranasally with PGE2 displayed RpfE-induced antigen-specific Th1 and Th17 responses with a significant reduction in bacterial load in the lungs. Furthermore, the addition of optimal PGE2 amount to IL-2-IL-6-IL-23p19-IL-1β was essential for promoting differentiation into Th1/Th17 cells with strong bactericidal activity. These results suggest that RpfE-matured DCs produce PGE2 that induces Th1 and Th17 cell differentiation with potent anti-mycobacterial activity.

The aim of the study was to analyze the in ovo injection of chemically and biologically synthesized silver nano-particles (Ag NPs) using Brassica oleracea L. var capitate f. Rubra, (BOL) conjugation with L-Arginine (L-Arg) on the immune, muscle growth, survivability and hatchability of the broiler chickens. L-Arg (100 μg) with 1000 µg (BOL-Ag NPs) and L-Arg (100 μg) with 100 µg (C-Ag NPs) were injected into fertile eggs at 8, 14 and 18 of incubation. Survival and hatched chicks were calculated. Survivability and hatchability were unaffected by the injected dose of L-Arg (100 μg) with 1000 µg (BOL-Ag NPs) and L-Arg (100 μg) with 100 µg (C-Ag NPs) but it significantly improved when the eggs were injected on day 14 of incubation compared with those injected on days 8 or 18. Moreover, the protein expression of muscle development markers such as myogenin and myoD were significantly up-related in 14 d incubation whereas the heat shock proteins (HSPs) such as HSP-60 and HSP-70 were significantly up-regulated in 18 d incubation. In addition, the in ovo injection on 18 d significantly increased the serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT) and serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) as well the immunoglobulin (IgM) levels were increased in 14-day incubation period in serum at the same concentration. Collectively, these results indicate that injecting L-Arg (100 μg) with 1000 µg of BOL-Ag NPs or L-Arg (100 μg) with 100 µg of C-Ag NPs to eggs at day 14 after incubation could improve their hatchability, survival rate, and muscle growth marker.

The aim of the study was to analyze the in ovo injection of chemically and biologically synthesized silver nano-particles (Ag NPs) using Brassica oleracea L. var capitate f. Rubra, (BOL) conjugation with L-Arginine (L-Arg) on the immune, muscle growth, survivability and hatchability of the broiler chickens. L-Arg (100 μg) conjugated with 1000 µg of Ag NPs synthesized by (BOL)-extract and L-Arg (100 μg) conjugated with 100 µg of Ag NPs chemically synthesized were injected into fertile eggs at 8d, 14d and 18d of incubation. Living embryo and hatched chicks were calculated. Survivability and hatchability were not affected by the injected dose of L-Arg (100 μg) with 1000 µg (BOL-Ag NPs) and L-Arg (100 μg) with 100 µg (C-Ag NPs) but it significantly improved when the eggs were injected on day 14 of incubation compared with those injected on days 8 or 18. Moreover, the protein expression of muscle development markers such as myogenin and myoD were significantly up-related in 14 d of incubation whereas the heat shock proteins (HSPs) such as HSP-60 and HSP-70 were significantly up-regulated in 18 d incubation. In addition, the in ovo injection on 18 d significantly increased the serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT) and serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT) as well the immunoglobulin (IgM) levels were increased in 14d incubation period in serum at the same concentration.

The adapted Posner spatial cue-target paradigm was used to explore the relationship between exogenous temporal attention caused by rhythm and endogenous and exogenous spatial attention. The study was divided into two experiments. In Experiment 1, 33 participants used arrow cues to orient endogenous spatial attention and rhythm to orient exogenous temporal attention. In Experiment 2, with 29 participants, exogenous spatial attention was directed by highlighting the cue box. Exogenous temporal attention was directed by rhythm. Experiment 1 indicated that RTs were faster for attended targets than the unattended. The main effect of temporal attention was significant, with RTs being faster for synchrony and late compared to early. RTs were faster for late compared to synchrony. The main effect of stimulus repetition was significant, with faster RTs for targets when the rhythmic cue consisted of five compared to four. The interaction between spatial attention and temporal attention was not significant. Experiment 2 demonstrated that exogenous spatial attention only exhibited IOR under early four stimulus repetitions. The main effect of temporal attention was significant, with RTs being faster for synchrony and late compared to early. The main effect of stimulus repetition was significant, with faster RTs for targets when the rhythmic cue consisted of five compared to four. The interaction between spatial attention and temporal attention was significant. The results indicated that rhythmic temporal attention supported foreperiod effects. Exogenous temporal attention and endogenous spatial attention independently affect behavior, while exogenous temporal attention and exogenous spatial attention mutually influenced behavior.

OBJECTIVE: Although 3D-printed anatomic models are not new to medicine, the high costs and lengthy production times entailed have limited their application. Our goal was developing a new and less costly 3D modeling method to depict organ-tumor relations at faster printing speeds. METHODS: We have devised a method of 3D modeling using DICOM images. Coordinates are extracted at a specified interval, connecting them to create mesh-work replicas. Adjacent constructs are depicted by density variations, showing anatomic targets (ie, tumors) in contrasting color. RESULTS: An array of organ solid-tumor models were printed via Fused Deposition Modeling 3D printer at significantly less cost ($0.05/cm3) and time expenditure (1.73 min/cm3; both, p<.001). Printed models helped promote visual appreciation of organ-tumor anatomy and adjacent tissues. Our mesh-work 3D thyroidal prototype reproduced glangular size/contour and tumor location, readily approximating the surgical specimen. CONCLUSIONS: This newly devised mesh-type 3D printing method may facilitate anatomic modeling for personalized care and improve patient awareness during informed surgical consent.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel transfer learning regularization method based on knowledge distillation. Recently, transfer learning methods have been used in various fields. However, the problems such as knowledge loss still occur during the process of transfer learning to a new target dataset. To solve these problems, there are various regularization methods based on knowledge distillation techniques. In this paper, we propose a transfer learning regularization method based on feature map alignment used in the field of knowledge distillation. The proposed method is composed of two attention based submodules: self-pixel attention (SPA) and global channel attention (GCA). The self-pixel attention submodule utilizes both the feature maps of the source and target models, so that it provides an opportunity to jointly consider the features of the target and the knowledge of the source. The global channel attention submodule determines the importance of channels through all layers, unlike the existing methods that calculate these only within a single layer. Accordingly, transfer learning regularization is performed by considering both the internal of each single layer and the depth of the entire layer. Consequently, the proposed method using both of these submodules showed overall improved classification accuracy than the existing methods in classification experiments on commonly used dataset.

Xerostomia is a subjective symptom of dry mouth resulting from various causes, including side effects of medication, systemic disorders, radiation, and Sjögren’s syndrome. Recently, the number of patients afflicted with xerostomia has increased due to an increase in the elderly population and patients on medication.; (2) Methods: A systematic approach is required to determine the etiology and management of xerostomia. This review summarizes recent literatures on the diagnosis and management of xerostomia.; (3) Results: A patient with xerostomia experiences difficulty in chewing, swallowing, speaking, tasting, and maintaining oral hygiene. Xerostomia and hyposalivation are uncomfortable side-effects in many patients. Assessing the function of the salivary gland is essential for selecting an appropriate treatment, improving symptoms, and preventing oral complications. Also, a more systematic approach is required to differentiate the subjective symptoms of the patient from the objective hyposalivation.; and (4) Conclusions: Although there is no standardized treatment for xerostomia, doctors need to endeavor and adapt the various treatments of xerostomia, to unearth the optimal treatment required for the patient.

Cellular immunotherapy has recently emerged as a fourth pillar in cancer treatment co-joining surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Where, the discovery of immune checkpoint blockage or inhibition (ICB/ICI), anti-PD-1/PD-L1 and anti-CTLA4-based, therapy has revolutionized the class of cancer treatment at a different level. However, still some cancer patient escape this immune surveillance mechanism and become resistant to ICB-therapy. Therefore, a more advanced or an alternative treatment is required instantly. Despite the functional importance of epitranscriptomics in diverse clinico-biological practices, its role in improving the efficacy of ICB therapeutics has been limited. Consequently, our study encapsulates the evidences, as a possible strategy, to improve the efficacy of ICB-therapy by co-targeting molecular checkpoints especially N6A-modification machineries which could be reformed into RNA modifying drugs (RMD). Here, we have explained the mechanism of individual RNA-modifiers (editor/writer, eraser/remover and effector/reader) in overcoming the issues associated with high-dose antibody toxicities and drug-resistance. Moreover, we have shed light on the importance of suppressor of cytokine signalling (SOCS/CISH) and microRNAs in improving the efficacy of ICB-therapy, with brief insight on the current monoclonal antibodies undergoing clinical trials or already approved against several solid tumor and metastatic cancers. We anticipate our investigation will encourage researchers and clinicians to further strengthen the efficacy of ICB-therapeutics by considering the importance of epitranscriptomics as a personalized medicine.

World Health Organization (WHO) provides the guideline for managing the Particulate Matter (PM) level because when the PM level is higher, it threats the human health. For managing PM level, the procedure for measuring PM value is needed firstly. We use Tapered Element Oscillating Microbalance (TEOM)-based PM measuring sensors because it shows higher cost-effectiveness than Beta Attenuation Monitor (BAM)-based sensor. However, TEOM-based sensor has higher probability of malfunctioning than BAM-based sensor. In this paper, we call the overall malfunction as an anomaly, and we aim to detect anomalies for the maintenance of PM measuring sensors. We propose a novel architecture for solving the above aim that named as Hypothesis Pruning Generative Adversarial Network (HP-GAN). We experimentally compare the several anomaly detection architectures to certify ours performing better.

.Purpose: This paper presents a comparative analysis of state-of-the-art DIR algorithms in the context of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) radiation therapy. Materials and Methods: We used a dataset of head and neck cancer patients within the Cancer Image Archive, which includes 31 patients with 3D CT image data from pre-treatment, mid-treatment, and post-treatment stages of radiotherapy. We applied DIR algorithms to two datasets, one for pre-treatment to mid-treatment registration and another for mid-treatment to post-treatment registration, by aligning one CT image to another CT image. To quantitatively analyze the patient data, we focused on the spinal cord, optic nerve, brain stem, cochlea, and PTV as the OAR datasets. To verify the DIR algorithm, we used two non-learning-based methods, SyN and NiftyReg, as well as three deep learning-based methods, Voxelmorph, Cyclemorph, and Transmorph. We trained a deep learning model by adjusting the ratio of the training dataset, validation dataset, and test dataset to 7:1:2. Results: The average DSCs of SyN and NiftyReg, the non-learning-based methods, were 0.74±0.06 and 0.70±0.12, respectively. The deep learning-based methods, Voxelmorph, Cyclemorph, and Transmorph, had average DSCs of 0.72±0.08, 0.68±0.11, and 0.69±0.13, respectively. The deep learning DIR algorithm produced transformed outputs of OAR/PTV in a shorter time than other models, including commercial and conventional mathematical algorithms (At Inference(sec/images), Voxelmorph: 0.36, Cyclemorph: 0.3, Transmorph: 5.1, SyN: 140, NiftyReg: 40.2). Conclusions: In conclusion, our study provides a comprehensive comparison of commercial DIR algorithms with traditional and deep learning-based DIR methods. Our results demonstrate that commercial DIR algorithms outperform traditional DIR methods in terms of accuracy and efficiency. However, we also show that deep learning-based DIR methods have the potential to achieve similar performance to commercial algorithms with proper training and optimization. Our findings suggest that both commercial and deep learning-based DIR methods have their respective advantages and limitations, and the choice of method should depend on the specific requirements of the clinical application. Overall, our study contributes to ongoing efforts to improve the accuracy and efficiency of DIR methods for better patient outcomes.

Hypoeutectic Al-Si-Cu-Mg alloys are promising candidates for use in automobile parts. Therefore, various attempts have been made to develop alternative casting technologies to improve the mechanical properties of cast alloys. In this study, the effects of modification with different levels of strontium (Sr) on primary and eutectic silicon (Si) in hypoeutectic Al-Si-Cu-Mg alloys were investigated. Using a gravity cast process, the Sr-modified samples were prepared from melts with four levels (100, 200, 300, and 400 ppm) of Sr. In addition, the wear properties of the cast samples were studied using a block-on-ring wear-testing machine. The sizes of the primary Si phases increased with increasing Sr content in the alloys. Moreover, more finely dispersed eutectic Si was observed with higher Sr content. In frictional wear tests, the specific wear rates of the test specimens decreased as the Sr content increased from 200 to 400 ppm. Coarse Si phases are considered to act as solid lubricants in the contact region during sliding.

Human adipose stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (hASC-EVs) are key mediators of paracrine signaling with promising therapeutic applications. Although hASC-EVs are derived from human cells and are less immunogenic, their immunogenicity cannot be completely excluded. Here, we evaluate the immune responses of ICR and C57BL/6 mice to high doses of hASC-EVs for 10 days after injection. Lymphocyte subpopulations are analyzed using flow cytometry at 0.5, 1, 3 and 24 h post injection. In the spleen and blood of C57BL/6 mice, neutrophils sharply increased at 0.5 h and decreased at 3 h following hASC-EV treatment. We observe increased proportions of monocytes, macrophages, and natural killer cells at 3 h but returned to similar level of vehicle control at 24 h post injection in the spleen and blood of ICR mice. Although the in vivo experiments reveal different immune responses to hASC-EV treatment in C57BL/6 and ICR strains, no major changes occur in human peripheral blood mononuclear cell composition after applying hASC-EVs in vitro. In conclusion, unlike those in mice, immune responses to hASC-EVs in humans are not detectable, indicating a minimal risk of fatal side-effects from hASC-EV-based therapies.

Abstract: The frequency and intensity of air pollution are two of most critical issues the world faces in dealing with global environmental problems. They are both important areas that need to be improved. Our previous research [20] examines the assessment of fine dust pollution in Baekryeong island by statistical reasoning through one specific example of inland city (Yanggu) in Republic of Korea; however, given that Baekryeong Island is a remote island, there has been little focus on in-depth examination of its effect on the high density of fine dust in Baekryeong Island. The purpose of this article is twofold: (i) to examine the effect of a remote island on the high density of fine dust on Baekryeong Island using statistical reasoning and to provide a more specific statistical basis for the claim that one of the non-negligible factors influencing the high density of fine dust on Baekryeong Island is the geographic proximity to China; and (ii) to present brief discussion of fundamental cause of fine dust and global air pollution issues, which are not discussed in [20].

Flammability was evaluated and the results showed the values of critical flux at extinguishment (CFE) as 49.5kW/㎡ on average, total heat release (Qt) as 0.21MJ on average, and peak heat release rate (Qp) as 0.66kW on average, which satisfied all of the thresholds presented by the IMO. Therefore, flame-retardant plywood, of which the flame-retardant performance was evaluated, was determined to be an applicable finishing material that satisfies fire safety standards.

Cisplatin induces early-onset ototoxicity, resulting in hearing loss. The exact mechanism by which cisplatin causes ototoxicity remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to identify the involvement of receptor-interacting protein kinase(RIP)3-dependent necroptosis in cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in animal models. Sprague–Dawley rats (SD, 8 week) were treated via intraperitoneal (i.p) injection with cisplatin (16 mg/kg for 1 day), and their hearing thresholds were was measured by the auditory brainstem response (ABR) method. Hematoxylin and eosin (H-E) staining, immunohistochemistry, and western blots were performed to determine the effect of cisplatin-induced ototoxicity on cochlear morphology. H-E stains outlined necroptotic changes in the organ of Cortis (OCs) and spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs). Additionally, immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis showed overexpression of RIP3 in the OCs and SGNs that were treated with cisplatin. These results suggest that RIP3-dependent necroptosis was substantial in cisplatin-induced ototoxicity; inner cochlear regions, the OCs, and SGNs were especially sensitive to necroptosis.

This case report describes evidence of intratubular biomineralization in root canal filled with calcium enriched material after 8 years of clinical maintenance. The schematic findings of dentinal tubules were investigated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The root canal obturation material was closely adapted to root dentin surface, suggesting the possibility of chemical bonding between the two interfaces. SEM and EDS observation of dentinal tubules showed intratubular biomineralized crystal structures with Ca/P ratio in a range of 1.30–2.12, suggesting bioactive capacity of calcium enriched cement.

Obesity, which is characterized by an excessive accumulation of body fat, is one of the critical factors causing metabolic syndrome. Many studies have been performed to identify appropriate agents to control obesity, but toxicity remains a problem. Herein, we identified that phenylbutyrate (PBA), which has been used to treat urea cycle disorder with very low toxicity for a long time, efficiently inhibited high fat-induced body weight gain in a diet-induced obesity mouse model (DIO model). PBA treatment decreased body fat mass and increased lean composition. Moreover, PBA increased brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity by increasing glucose uptake, thereby improving glucose tolerance and insulin tolerance. Interestingly, PBA could induce the expression of phosphofructokinase (PFKL), a key enzyme in the glycolytic pathway, and knocking down PFKL dramatically repressed the expression level of Ucp1 as well as those of Prdm16, Cidea, Pgc1α, and Pparγ, which are marker genes for BAT activation. These results strongly suggested that PBA could increase energy expenditure by increasing BAT activity via the induction of PFKL. Taken together, PBA could be used as a therapeutic agent for people with obesity to prevent the development of metabolic syndrome.

Enveloped viruses represent a significant category of pathogens that cause serious diseases in animals. These viruses express envelope glycoproteins that are singularly important during infection of host cells by mediating fusion between the viral envelope and host cell membranes. Despite low homology at protein levels, three classes of viral fusion proteins have, as of yet, been identified based on structural similarities. Their incorporation into viral particles is dependent upon their proper sub-cellular localization after being expressed and folded properly in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). However, viral protein expression can cause stress in the ER, and host cells respond to alleviate the ER stress in the form of the unfolded protein response (UPR); the effects of which have been observed potentiating or inhibiting viral infection. One important arm of UPR is to elevate the capacity of the ER-associated protein degradation (ERAD) pathway, which is comprised of host quality control machinery that ensures proper protein folding. In this review, we provide relevant details regarding viral envelope glycoproteins, UPR, ERAD, and their interactions in host cells.

The emergence of diverse infections worldwide, which is a serious global threat to human existence, necessitate the urgent development of novel therapeutic candidates that can combat these diseases with efficacy. Isatin, a secondary metabolite from tryptophan is considered a privileged scaffold and favorable pharmacophore with a unique structural moiety and varied chemical and biological properties resulting in its widespread applications by medicinal chemists. Molecular hybridization is one of the most common and important techniques use in the synthesis of their bioactive hybrids in drug discovery. This review containing published articles from 2005 to 2022 focuses on isatin hybrids which have been synthesized and reported in the literature alongside a discussion on their biological properties. The purpose of this review is to set up the direction for the design and development of isatin-hybrids with tailored biological properties as effective therapeutic candidates inspired by nature.

This study aims to spatially analyze the distribution characteristics of vacant homes in Asan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, and understand the differences in factors causing vacant homes by type. We use a variety of statistical methods to examine these factors and identify key influencing factors such as the number of vacant stores, changes in overall population, land use complexity, and physical characteristics of land and buildings. The findings reveal that the factors contributing to the occurrence of vacant homes vary significantly by region and property type, highlighting the need for region-specific policies. For instance, in old town areas, small lot ratios and land use complexity are significant, while in rural village, the average number of floors and land use complexity play a major role. This study underscores the diversity of factors influencing vacant homes, suggesting that policies should be tailored to the unique characteristics of different regions to effectively address this issue.

Recycling waste products is an environmental-friendly activity that can bring benefits to accompany, saving manufacturing costs and improving economic efficiency. For the beer industry, recycling bottles can reduce manufacturing costs and reduce the industry's carbon footprint. This paper presents a model for a multi-objective collection-distribution center location and allocation problem in a closed loop supply chain for the beer industry, in which the objective is to minimize total costs and transportation pollution. Uncertainties in the form of randomness and fuzziness are jointly handled in this paper to ensure a more practical problem solution, for which returned bottle sand unusable bottles are considered fuzzy random variables. A heuristic algorithm based on priority-based global-local-neighbor particle swarm optimization (pb-glnPSO) is applied to ensure reliable solutions for this NP-hard problem. A case study on a beer operation company is conducted to illustrate the application of the proposed model and demonstrate the priority-based global-local-neighbor particle swarm optimization.

To ensure consumers can purchase high-quality rice, accurate identification of rice varieties is particularly important. Methods: This article conducts research based on machine learning algorithms from the perspectives of image, spectrum, and spectrogram fusion. Six types of hyperspectral image data of rice were preprocessed using convolutional smoothing (SG) and multiple scatter correction (MSC). Texture information of the images was extracted using gray-level co-occurrence matrix. Spectra, texture, and spectrogram data were fused into a new matrix. Spectral, texture, and spectrogram fusion data were used as inputs for the model, and support vector machines (SVM), logistic regression (LR), and K-nearest neighbors (KNN) classification models were constructed and compared. Results: From the classification results, the spectrogram fusion classification performance was better than classification models using only spectra or texture. Conclusion: The research results showed that the accuracy of SVM and LR classification models exceeded 90%, and the LR model performed the best, effectively classifying rice varieties.

Abstract: High step-up voltage gain nonisolated DC-DC converter have attracted much attention in photovoltaic, fuel cells and other renewable energy system applications. In this paper, by combining input current ripple-free boost cell with coupled-inductor voltage-doubler cell, an input current ripple-free high voltage gain nonisolated converter is proposed. In addition, passive lossless clamp circuit is adopted to recycle the leakage inductor energy and to reduce the voltage spike across the power switch. By utilizing voltage-doubler cell consisting of diode and capacitor, the voltage stress of switch is further reduced and the resonance between the leakage inductor and the stray capacitor of the output diode is eliminated. A low switch-on-resistance low-voltage-rated MOSFET can therefore be employed to reduce the conduction loss and cost. The reverse recovery loss of output diode is reduced, and the efficiency of converter can be improved. Furthermore, the proposed converter can achieve nearly zero input current-ripple and make the design of electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter easy. Steady state analysis and operation mode of the converter is performed. Finally, experimental results are presented to verify the analysis results of the proposed converter.

Urbanization and industrialization processes in Mongolia have been significant and rapid for the last half-century. During this period, changes in political and economic systems, growth in the population, and the occasional harsh climate conditions were subject to fluctuations in the natural resource usage. The total Ecological Footprint (EF) in Mongolia has increased from 6.8 million global hectares (gha) in 1961 to 14.6 million gha in 2012. However, Biocapacity (BC) has decreased from 50.6 million gha in 1961 to 39.0 million gha in 2012. The study shows that grazing land Footprint and carbon uptake land Footprint are the two major contributors of the recent intensified use of biological resources. To ensure stable economic development and sustainable use of natural resources, environmental planning is required to consider both the population’s pressure on the environment and the ecosystem’s regeneration capacity, simultaneously. We have proposed a few possible strategies for sustainable utilization of grazing land Footprint and carbon Footprint. For grazing land Footprint, efficient management of both herding practice and number of animals should be considered. In case of carbon Footprint, it is estimated that with the improved combustion efficiencies of coal-based power plants and the maximum use of renewable energy, carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions in Mongolia can be reduced up to 30% compared to the base line business as usual case in 2030.

The Silk Road pattern (SRP) and Circumglobal teleconnection pattern (CGT) are two well-known teleconnection patterns along the Eurasian westerly jet during boreal summer, which are often regarded as one teleconnection pattern. In view of the distinct features of the SRP/CGT on the interannual (IA) and interdecadal (ID) timescales, the present study investigates the linkages and differences between the SRP and CGT on the two timescales. On the IA timescale, the SRP and CGT feature a similar circumglobal wave train structure with strong and significant centers over Eurasia, but show clear independences. Specifically, the SRP and CGT illustrates largely the mid-/high-latitude-related and tropics-related parts of the Northern Hemisphere upper-tropospheric circulation variations, respectively. Also, the CGT shows a stronger connection to the Indian summer monsoon (ISM) heating and El Niño–Southern Oscillation than the SRP, which makes the CGT more like a tropical-forcing-driven atmospheric mode but the SRP more like an internal atmospheric mode. The linkages and differences between them are associated with their asymmetry relationship during their positive and negative phases, which are attributed mainly to the asymmetry impact of the ISM heating/cooling on the Eurasian circulations. On the ID timescale, the SRP and CGT are characterized by a coherent two-wave train structure over Eurasia, and feature more like the same teleconnection pattern, which are associated with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation and Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. The present findings on the linkages and differences between the SRP and CGT are helpful to understand the variability and prediction of the SRP and CGT.

Ehretia laevis Roxb. (Boraginaceae) has been extensively used as a traditional remedy for the treatment of a diverse range of ailments related to the respiratory system, the gastrointestinal tract, the reproductive system, and against several infections. This review critically assesses and documents, for the first time, the fragmented information on E. laevis, including its botanical description, folklore uses, bioactive phytometabolites and pharmacological activities. The goal is to explore this plant therapeutically. Ethnomedicinal surveys reveal that E. laevis has been used by tribal communities in Asian countries for the treatment of various disorders. Quantitative and qualitative phytochemical investigations of E. laevis showed the presence of important phytoconstituents such as pentacyclic triterpenoids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, fatty acids, steroids, alkaloids, aliphatic alcohols, hydrocarbons, amino acids, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Fresh plant parts, crude extracts, fractions and isolated compounds have been reported to exhibit broad spectrum of therapeutic activities viz., antioxidant, antiarthritic, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antiulcer, antidiarrheal, antidysenteric, wound healing and anti-infective activities. E. laevis is shown to be an excellent potential source of drugs for the mitigation of jaundice, asthma, dysentery, ulcers, diarrhea, ringworm, eczema, diabetes, fissure, syphilis, cuts and wounds, inflammation, liver problems, venereal and infectious disorders. Although few investigations authenticated its traditional uses but employed uncharacterized crude extracts of the plant, the major concerns raised are reproducibility of therapeutic efficacy and safety of plant material. The outcomes of limited pharmacological screening and reported bioactive compounds of E. laevis suggest that there is an urgent need for in-depth pharmacological investigations of the plant.

This paper provides attempts to formalize Hayek’s theory of knowledge. It has been theoretically shown that exponential income distribution is a spontaneous order of the well-functioning market economy. We show that this theoretical result is supported by the empirical evidence from the United Kingdom and China. In particular, we empirically show how the income structure of China evolved towards an exponential distribution after the market-oriented economic reformation. Furthermore, we strictly prove that, if the income structure of an economy obeys an exponential distribution, the income summation over all households leads to an aggregate production function with Hicks-neutral-like technical progress, in which the technology factor is exactly equal to society’s information stock that is a result of combining all of decentralized decisions.

This paper presents a piezoresistive pressure sensor with a shield layer for improved stability. Compared with the conventional piezoresistive pressure sensors, p-type piezoresistors are covered by an n-type shield layer, which is formed by ion implantation. The proposed pressure sensors have been successfully fabricated by bulk micromachining techniques. The impact of electrical field on piezoresistors is studied by simulation. The temperature drift of the pressure sensor has been investigated by both simulation and experimental measurement. Characteristics of developed pressure sensors are tested from -40 C to 125 C. A sensitivity of 0.022 mV/V/KPa and a maximum non-linearity of 0.085% FS are measured for the fabricated sensor in a pressure range of 1 MPa. The temperature coefficients of resistance of shielded piezoresistors are found to be smaller than those of un-shielded ones. It is demonstrated that the shield layer is able to reduce the drift caused by electrical field and ambient temperature variation.

We study the Gaudin models with gl(1|1) symmetry that are twisted by a diagonal matrix and defined on tensor products of polynomial evaluation gl(1|1)[t]-modules, extending all the results of to the twisted case. Namely, we give an explicit description of the algebra of Hamiltonians (Gaudin Hamiltonians) acting on tensor products of polynomial evaluation gl(1|1)[t]-modules and show that there exists a bijection between common eigenvectors (up to proportionality) of the algebra of Hamiltonians and monic divisors of an explicit polynomial written in terms of the highest weights and evaluation parameters. In particular, our result implies that each common eigenspace of the algebra of Hamiltonians has dimension one. We also give dimensions of the generalized eigenspaces.

(1) Background : When placing implants in the maxillary posterior region with insufficient alveolar bone, a maxillary sinus elevation is necessary. Autogenous bone, though biologically ideal, poses risks and discomfort due to donor site harvesting. Block-type autogenous tooth bone graft material, made from the patient’s own extracted tooth, offers similar biological stability without these drawbacks; (2) Methods : This study observed the progress of 19 implant patients who were treated with maxillary sinus elevation procedures using block-type autogenous tooth bone graft material at the Daegu Catholic University Medical Center. Extracted teeth were processed into demineralized tooth block bone. After elevating the sinus membrane, implants and the tooth bone graft material were placed in the space, and the bony window was repositioned. Postoperative evaluations through clinical observation and radiographic imaging assessed sinus membrane elevation, alveolar bone height increase, and implant osseointegration; (3) Results : Results showed proportional increases in alveolar bone height to the graft material size, with long-term stability. No postoperative complications occurred, even with sinus membrane perforation, and implants remained stable; (4) Conclusions : The study concludes that maxillary sinus lifts using block-type autogenous tooth bone graft material provide excellent bone induction and biocompatibility, making it a highly beneficial method for both dentists and patients.

We show that an exponential income distribution will emerge spontaneously in a peer-to-peer economic network that shares the publicly available technology. Based on this finding, we identify the exponential income distribution as the benchmark structure of the well-functioning market economy. However, a real market economy may deviate from the well-functioning market economy. We show that the deviation is partly reflected as the invalidity of exponential distribution in describing the super-low income class that involves unemployment. In this regard, we find, theoretically, that the lower-bound u of exponential income distribution has a linear relationship with (per capita) unemployment compensation. In this paper, we test this relationship for the United Kingdom from 2001 to 2015. Our empirical investigation confirms that the income structure of low and middle classes (about 90% of populations) in the United Kingdom exactly obeys exponential distribution, in which the lower-bound u is exactly in line with the evolution of unemployment compensation.

This study investigated the impact of boron and copper on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Spheroidal graphite Cast Iron (SCI). The addition of boron increased the ferrite content, while copper increased the stability of pearlite. The interaction between boron and copper significantly increased the ferrite content. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) revealed that boron decreased the enthalpy change of the α + Fe3C -> γ transformation and increased the enthalpy change of the α -> γ transformation. The addition of boron and copper reduced the tensile and yield strength but increased elongation and impact energy. The findings provide valuable insights into the effect of boron and copper on SCI, facilitating the design and development of high-performance SCI materials.

With the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), there is a need for efficient management of patients with mild or no symptoms, which account for the majority. The aim of this study is to introduce the structure and operation protocol of a living and treatment support centre (LTSC) operated by Seoul National University Hospital in South Korea. The existing accommodation facility was converted into a 'patient centre' where patients was isolated. A few Medical staff here performed medical tests and responded to emergencies. Another part of the LTSC was 'remote monitoring centre'. In this center, patients’ self-measured vital signs and symptoms were monitored twice a day, and the medical staff staying here provided video-consultation via a smartphone. During the 3 weeks from March 5 to March 26, 2020, 113 patients were admitted and treated. LTSC could be an efficient alternative to hospital admission in pandemic situation like COVID-19.

Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) play a significant role in the aging processes, further regarding as a hallmark of aging. Despite the importance, a lack of monitoring tools has hampered the study of relationship between AGEs and aging. Here, we firstly report a novel AGEs-selective probe, AGO. AGO presented its ability to detect AGEs more sensitively than a conventional approach of measuring autofluorescence from AGEs. In addition, we confirmed that AGO can detect AGEs depending on kinetics, reflecting by a preference to ribose-derived AGEs. Finally, AGO revealed its competence to visualize glycation products in glycation mimicking model, made by collagen framework. We believe that this study will enrich molecular toolboxes to understand physiological processes of AGEs during aging processes.

The genus Lirianthe in the family Magnoliaceae includes approximately 25 species, each with exceptional landscaping and horticultural or medical worth. Many of these plants are considered rare and protected due to their endangered status. The limited knowledge of species within this genus and the absence of research on its chloroplast genome have greatly impeded studies on the relationship between its evolution and systematics. In this study, the chloroplast genomes of 8 species from the genus Lirianthe were sequenced and analyzed, their phylogenetic relationships with other genera of the family Magnoliaceae are also elucidated. The results showed that the chloroplast genome sizes of the 8 Lirianthe species ranged from 159,548 to 159,833 bp. The genomes consisted of a large single copy region, a small single copy region, and a pair of inverted repeat sequences. The GC content was very similar across species. Gene annotation revealed that the chloroplast genomes contained 85 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes, totaling 130 genes. Codon usage analysis indicated that codon usage was highly conserved among the 8 Lirianthe species. Repeat sequence analysis identified 42-49 microsatellite sequences, 16-18 tandem repeats, and 50 dispersed repeats, with microsatellite sequences being predominantly single nucleotide repeats. DNA polymorphism analysis revealed 10 highly variable regions located in the large single copy and small single copy regions, among which rpl32-trnL, petA-psbJ and trnH-psbA are recommended candidate DNA barcodes for the genus Lirianthe species. The inverted repeat boundary regions show little variation between species and are generally conserved. Phylogenetic tree analysis confirmed the monophyly of the genus Lirianthe and its closest relationship with the genera, Talauma and Dugandiodendron. Morphological studies found noticeable differences between Lirianthe species in aspects including leaf indumentum, stipule scars, floral orientation, tepal number, tepal texture, and fruit dehiscence. In summary, this study elucidated the chloroplast genome evolution within Lirianthe and laid a foundation for further systematic and taxonomic research of this genus.

Roses are one of the most important floricultural crops, and their essential oils have long been used for cosmetics and aromatherapy. We investigated the volatile compound compositions of 12 flower-color mutant variants and their original cultivars. Twelve rose mutant genotypes were developed by treatment with 70 Gy of 60Co gamma irradiation of six commercial rose cultivars. Essential oils from the flowers of the 18 genotypes were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Seventy-seven volatile compounds were detected, which were categorized into five classes: hydrocarbons, terpenoids, alcohols, esters, and others. Hydrocarbons, alcohols, and esters were major components in all rose flowers. The mutant genotypes CR-S8 and CR-S9 showed higher contents of hydrocarbons than the original cultivar. In addition, CR-S1, CR-S3, and CR-S4 mutant genotypes showed higher ester contents than their original cultivar. Nonacosane, 2-methylhexacosane, and 2-methyltricosane were major volatile compounds among all genotypes. Hierarchical cluster analysis of the rose genotypes gave four groups according to grouping among the 77 volatile compounds. These findings will be useful for the selection of rose genotypes with improved volatile compounds.

Long-haul COVID-19 illness first gained widespread recognition among social support groups and later in scientific and medical communities. This illness is mysterious as it affects COVID-19 survivors at all levels of disease severity, even younger adults and children. While the precise definition may be lacking, the defining symptoms are fatigue, dyspnea, and headache that last for months after hospital discharge. The less typical symptoms may include cognitive impairments, chest and joint pains, myalgia, smell and taste dysfunctions, cough, mood changes, and gastrointestinal and cardiac issues. Presently, there is limited literature discussing the possible pathophysiology, risk factors, and treatments in long-haul COVID-19, which the current review aims to address. In brief, long-haul COVID-19 may be driven by long-term lung and brain damage and unresolved inflammation from multiple sources. The associated risk factors may include female sex, more than five early symptoms, early dyspnea, and specific biomarkers like D-dimer. While only rehabilitation training has been useful for long-haul COVID-19, therapeutics repurposed from mast cell activation syndrome, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, and pulmonary fibrosis also hold potential. In sum, this review hopes to provide the current understanding of what is known about long-haul COVID-19.

Service robots operating in indoor environments should recognize dynamic changes from sensors, such as RGB-D camera, and recall the past context. Therefore, we propose a context query-processing framework, comprising spatio-temporal robotic context query language (ST-RCQL) and spatio-temporal robotic context query-processing system (ST-RCQP), for service robots. We designed them based on the spatio-temporal context ontology. ST-RCQL can query not only the current context knowledge but also the past. In addition, ST-RCQL includes a variety of time operators and time constants, and thus queries can be written very efficiently. The ST-RCQP is a query-processing system equipped with a perception handler, working memory, and backward reasoner for real-time query-processing. Moreover, ST-RCQP accelerates query-processing speed by building a spatio-temporal index in the working memory, where percepts are stored. Through various qualitative and quantitative experiments, we demonstrate the high efficiency and performance of the proposed context query-processing framework.

The development of printing technologies has enabled the realization of electric circuit fabrication on flexible substrate. However, the current technique remains restricted to single-layer patterning. In this paper, we demonstrate a fully solution-processable patterning approach for multi-layer circuits using a combined method of laser sintering and ablation. Selective laser sintering of silver (Ag) nanoparticle-based ink is applied to make conductive patterns on a heat-sensitive substrate and insulating layer. The laser beam path and irradiation fluence are controlled to create circuit patterns for flexible electronics. Microvia drilling using femtosecond laser through the polyvinylphenol-film insulating layer by laser ablation, as well as sequential coating of Ag ink and laser sintering, achieves an interlayer interconnection between multi-layer circuits. The dimension of microvia is determined by a sophisticated adjustment of laser focal position and intensity. Based on these methods, the flexible electronic circuit with chip-size-package light-emitting diodes was successfully fabricated and demonstrated with functional operations.

Blood image intensity has been used to detect erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). However, it does not give an information on biophysical properties of blood sample under continuous ESR. In this study, three physical properties, including, τ₀, ESR_τ, and AI_I, are suggested to quantify mechanical variations of blood under continuous ESR. To demonstrate the proposed method, blood sample is loaded into a driving syringe. The blood flow rate is set in a periodic on–off pattern. Blood sample is then supplied into a capillary chip, and microscopic blood images are captured at specific intervals. Blood shear stress is quantified from the interface of blood stream in the coflowing channel. Both τ₀ and ESR_τ are then obtained by analyzing the blood shear stress. Simultaneously, the AI_I is evaluated by analyzing the image intensity of blood flow. According to the experimental results, the τ₀ exhibits consistent trends with respect to hematocrit as well as diluent. The ESR_τ and AI_I showed a reciprocal relationship each other. Three suggested properties represented substantial differences for suspended blood samples (i.e., hardened red blood cells, different concentration of dextran solution and fibrinogen). In conclusion, the present method can detect variations of blood sample under continuous ESR effectively.

Osteoporosis is an abnormal bone remodeling condition characterized by decreased bone density, which leads to high risks of broken bones. Previous studies have demonstrated that Lycii Radicis Cortex (LRC) extract inhibits bone loss in ovariectomized (OVX) mice by enhancing the osteoblast differentiation. A bioactive compound, Kukoamine B (KB), was identified from a fractionation of LRC extract as a candidate component responsible for an anti-osteoporotic effect. This study investigated the anti-osteoporotic effects of KB using in vitro and in vivo osteoporosis models. KB treatment significantly increased the osteoblastic differentiation and mineralized nodule formation of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells, while it significantly decreased the osteoclast differentiation of primary-cultured monocytes derived from mouse bone marrow. The effects of KB on osteoblastic and osteoclastic differentiations under more physiological conditions were also examined. In the co-culture of MC3T3-E1 cells and monocytes, KB promoted osteoblast differentiation but did not affect osteoclast differentiation. For the in vivo experiments, KB significantly inhibited OVX-induced bone mineral density loss and restored the impaired bone structural properties in osteoporosis model mice. These results suggest that KB may be a potential therapeutic candidate for the treatment of osteoporosis.

To address the insufficient mechanical properties of calcined phosphogypsum, this research aims to investigate the utilization of basalt fiber and calcium carbonate whiskers as reinforcing agents. The study examines their impact on the flexural and compressive strength, toughness, water resistance, and tensile strength of calcined phosphogypsum. In the individual tests, basalt fibers with different lengths (3 mm, 6 mm, 9 mm, and 18 mm) were added at dosages of 0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, and 1.5% respectively. The findings demonstrate that basalt fiber effectively enhances the flexural and compressive strength, toughness, and tensile strength of calcined phosphogypsum, albeit potentially compromising water resistance. Among the various fiber lengths, the 6 mm fibers exhibit the most advantageous influence on the performance of calcined phosphogypsum. A subsequent test was conducted to investigate the impact of cross-scale fibers on the properties of calcined phosphogypsum by mixing 6 mm basalt fibers and calcium carbonate whiskers. The results illustrate that calcium carbonate whisker refines the pores, thereby improving the flexural strength and toughness of calcined phosphogypsum. Furthermore, it compensates for the water resistance limitations associated with the sole utilization of basalt fiber while further augmenting the tensile strength and strain capacity. However, it should be noted that increasing the dosage of both calcium carbonate whiskers and basalt fibers concurrently leads to increased porosity of phosphogypsum and reduced compressive strength.

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) is a common autoimmune disease, with its prevalence rapidly increasing. Both genetic and environmental risk factors contribute to the development of HT. Recently, viral infection has been suggested to act as a trigger of HT by eliciting the host immune response and subsequent autoreactivity. We analyzed features of HT through bioinformatics analysis so as to identify markers of HT development. We accessed public microarray data of HT patients from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and obtained differentially expressed genes (DEGs) under HT. Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses were performed for functional clustering of our protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Utilizing ranked gene lists, we performed Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) using the clusterprofiler R package. By comparing the expression signatures of the huge perturbation database with the queried rank-ordered gene list, connectivity map (CMap) analysis was performed to screen potential therapeutic targets and agents. The gene expression profile of the HT group was in line with general characteristics of HT. Biological processes related to the immune response and viral infection pathways were obtained for the upregulated DEGs. GSEA results revealed activation of autoimmune disease-related pathways and several viral infection pathways. Autoimmune disease and viral infection pathways were highly interconnected by common genes, while the HLA genes which are shared by both were significantly upregulated. CMap analysis suggested that perturbagens, including SRRM1, NLK, and CCDC92, have the potential to reverse the HT expression profile. Several lines of evidence suggested that viral infection and the host immune response are activated during HT. Viral infection is suspected to act as a key trigger of HT by causing autoimmunity. SRRM1, an alternative splicing factor, which responds to viral activity, might serve as potential marker of HT.

A space charge density wireless measurement system based on the idea of distributed measurement is proposed for collecting and monitoring the space charge density in an ultra-high-voltage direct-current (UHVDC) environment. The proposed system architecture is composed of a number of wireless nodes connected with space charge density sensors and a base station. The space charge density sensor based on atmospheric ion counter method is elaborated and developed, and the ARM microprocessor and Zigbee radio frequency module are applied. The wireless network communication quality and the relationship between energy consumption and transmission distance in the complicated electromagnetic environment is tested. Based on the experimental results, the proposed measurement system demonstrates that it can adapt to the complex electromagnetic environment under the UHVDC transmission lines and can accurately measure the space charge density.

Parasitic diseases continue represent a threat on a global scale, particularly among the poorest countries in the world. This is particularly because of the absence of vaccines, and in some cases, resistance against available drugs, currently being used for their treatment. In this review emphasis is laid on natural products and scaffolds from African medicinal plants (AMPs) for lead drug discovery and possible further development of drugs for the treatment of parasitic diseases. In the discussion, emphasis has been laid on alkaloids, terpenoids, quinones, flavonoids and narrower compound classes of compounds with micromolar range activities against Schistosoma, Trypanosoma and Leishmania species. Suggestions for future drug development from African medicinal plants have also been provided.

Potential breeding habitat of egrets and herons was evaluated using the Maximum Entropy Model (MaxEnt). Model output can help guide management of nuisance egret and heron rookeries in urban forests of Daejeon Metropolitan City, Korea. This study examined 126 locations regarded as breeding sites of egrets and herons at the nationwide census conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Research between 2011 and 2012. In addition, 252 randomly selected locations were used to identify the significant variables among a total of 15 environmental variables within 4 factors (topography, natural environment, distance and climate). Twelve variables were significantly different between the breeding and randomly selected points. The final 10 variables were selected through Pearson’s correlation analysis. Using MaxEnt, breeding area was estimated using the 10 selected variables in Daejeon. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was 0.950, which was the average value through 10-fold cross-validation to estimate the model reliability. The potential breeding habitat for egrets and herons was estimated to be 106.69 km2 (19.76% of the total area) in Daejeon. Within the estimated potential habitat, 11.82 km2 (12.46%) were less than 50 m from the residential district while 79.85 km2 (88.92%) were more than 50m from the residential district. Discriminative management strategies considering the breeding location of egrets and herons should be applied not only to minimize conflicts with residents, but also to maintain stable egret and heron breeding sites in Daejeon, Korea.

Background/Aims: Conflicting results have been reported regarding the interaction between proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and clopidogrel. We investigated whether concomitant PPI use influenced the risk of recurrence in patients with stroke and myocardial infarction (MI). Methods: This study used two databases for different designs, the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database for a self-controlled case series design, and the national sample cohort of the NHIS database converted to the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership-Common Data Model version for a cohort study. Results: In the PPI co-prescription group, recurrent hospitalization with stroke occurred in 17.6% of the 8,201 patients with history of stroke, and recurrent MI occurred in 17.1% of the 1,216 patients with history of MI during 1 year. According to the self-controlled case series, the overall relative risk (RR) of recurrent stroke was 2.09 [95% confidence interval (CI); 1.83-2.38], and the RR showed an increasing trend with PPI duration. In the cohort study, there was a higher incidence of recurrent stroke in the PPI co-prescription group [Hazard ratio (HR): 1.34, 95% CI: 1.01-1.76, P=0.04]. The overall RR of recurrent MI was 1.47 (95% CI; 1.02-2.11) in the self-controlled case series; however, there was no statistically significant difference in recurrent MI in the cohort study (HR:1.42, 95% CI:0.79-2.49, P=0.23). The impact of individual PPIs on stroke and MI showed different patterns. Conclusions: PPI co-prescription with clopidogrel was associated with recurrent stroke; however, its association with recurrent MI remains inconclusive. The influence of individual PPIs should be clarified in the future.

Although numerous citrus varieties have recently been developed to enhance their quality, information on their quality characteristics is limited. We assessed the quality characteristics of Yellowball, a novel citrus variety, by evaluating its appearance, storability, sensory properties, functionality, and metabolite profiles and comparing these characteristics with those of its parent varieties: Haruka and Kiyomi. The metabolite profiles between the citrus varieties differed significantly, resulting in distinct physicochemical and functional qualities. The storability of Yellowball was significantly increased compared with that of its parent varieties owing to its strong antifungal activity and unique peel morphology, including the stoma and albedo layers. While we did not investigate the volatile compounds, overall functional activities, and detailed characteristics of each metabolite, our data provide valuable insights into the relationship between citrus metabolites, peel morphology, physicochemical properties, and storability and demonstrate the potential of Yellowball as a promising variety in the citrus industry.

Coastal areas are increasingly being damaged with the expansion of seawater intrusion areas. We suggest a three-step method for reducing seawater intrusion areas by predicting future damage to groundwater being used continuously. First, the area most vulnerable to seawater intrusion damage is selected from among 25 areas on the west coast of the Republic of Korea. Having identified the Taean area as the region in question in the second step, we use RCP 4.5 and 8.5 as future sea level rise scenarios and predict the future usage of groundwater using linear-regression analysis of data for the past 10 years. Consequently, for RCP 8.5 (groundwater-usage scenario 1.0), 68.5% of the total Taean area is projected to be influenced by seawater intrusion. In the third step, the effectiveness of seawater intrusion reduction measures is analyzed considering the projected future situation and the local characteristics of the Taean area. After considering the effects of alternative locations, as well as seawater intrusion related data, alternatives were prioritized using a multi-criteria decision-making method. Consequently, 3, 5, and 4 were prioritized in the listed order, and we judged that by applying seawater intrusion area reduction measures according to this result, we will achieve the biggest effect.

This study delves into the atmospheric corrosion behavior of chromium-free complex-phase steel (CP), specifically investigating the influence of wet/dry frequency and ratio in cyclic corrosion tests (CCT). The study employs a modified ISO 14993 standard CCT method, which involves salt spray, dry, and wet stages. After 15 and 30 CCT cycles, mass loss, maximum corrosion depth, and corrosion products were analyzed to gain insights into corrosion mechanisms. In general, increasing the frequency and wet/dry stage ratio in CCT extends the time for autocatalytic reactions to occur, leading to accelerated localized CP corrosion and increased pitting factors. However, as the rust layer thickens, uniform corrosion may also intensify, so careful considerations are necessary. This study underscores the importance of controlling the frequency and ratio of wet/dry stages in CCT for effectively analyzing localized corrosion behavior in specimens.

Hemangioblasts give rise to endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), which also express the cell surface markers CD133 and C-kit. They may differentiate into the outgrowth endothelial cells (OECs) that control neovascularization in the developing embryo. Reduced levels of EPC in circulation have been linked to human cardiovascular disorders, according to numerous studies. Furthermore, preeclampsia and senescence have been linked to levels of EPCs produced from cord blood. Uncertainties surround how preeclampsia affects the way EPCs function. It is reasonable to speculate that preeclampsia may have an impact on the function of fetal EPCs during the in utero period; however, given the present literature's suggestion that maternal vasculopathies, including preeclampsia, damage fetal circulation. Additionally, the differentiation potential and general activity of EPCs may serve as an indicator of the health of the fetal vascular system since they promote neovascularization and repair during pregnancy. Thus, the purpose of this review is to compare, through assessment of their quantity, differentiation potency, angiogenic activity, and senescence, the angiogenic function of fetal EPCs obtained from cord blood for normal and pregnancy problems. This will shed light on the relationship between the angiogenic function of fetal EPCs and pregnancy complications, which could have an effect on the management of long-term health issues like metabolic and cardiovascular disorders in offspring with abnormal vasculature development.

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is one of the most oil crop, and its commercial value is contingent upon its agronomic characteristics and oil quality. In this study, 73,226 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across 95 rapeseed mutant lines derived from gamma rays and their original cultivar (‘Tamra’) obtained from genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) was investigated gene ontology (GO) analysis and genome-wide association study (GWAS). GWAS was conducted on agronomic (plant height, ear length, thousand seed weight and seed yield) and oil (fatty acid and crude fat) traits. GO analysis showed that many genes displaying SNPs were involved in cellular processes, intracellular anatomical structures and organic cyclic compound binding. A total of 149 significant SNPs were associated with the agronomic traits (76 SNPs) and oil traits (73 SNPs). Bna.A05p02350D (SFGH) and Bna.C02p22490D (MDN1) were selected as novel candid genes for thousand seed weight. In addition, Bna.C03p14350D (EXO70) and Bna.A09p05630D (PI4Kα1) were selected as novel candidate genes for the erucic acid and crude fat content, respectively. These findings could facilitate the identification of optimal genotypes for breeding new cultivars, and association studies represent an economically efficient tool for mutant screening and the selection of elite rapeseed-breeding lines.

The intense motion of a ship can greatly impacts the comfort of crew members and the safety of the vessel. Therefore, accurately estimating and predicting ship attitudes has become an important issue. This paper introduces the latest development in functional deep learning model called DeepOnet. It takes wave height as input and ship motion as output, using a cause-to-result prediction approach. The modeling data used in this study is sourced from publicly available experimental data from the Iowa Institute of Hydraulic Research. Firstly, parameters system tuning was conducted for the neural network's hyperparameters to determine the appropriate combination of parameters. Secondly, the DeepOnet model for wave height and multi-degree-of-freedom motion was established, and the influence of increasing time steps on prediction accuracy was examined. Finally, a comparison was made between the DeepOnet model and the classical time series model LSTM. It was found that the DeepOnet model had a 10-fold improvement in accuracy for roll and heave attitudes. Moreover, as the forecast duration increased, the advantage of DeepOnet showed a trend of strengthening. As a functional prediction model, DeepOnet provides a new promising tool for very short-term prediction of ship motion.

Ovarian cysts are linked to hormone imbalances and altered gene expressions, but the connection between cysts and ion channel expression is understudied. This study explored the role of TWIK-related acid-sensitive K+ (TASK) channels in bovine ovarian cyst formation. The ovarian follicles were split into small (5 to 10 mm in diameter) and large (> 25 mm in diameter) groups. Among the measured K+, Na+, and Cl- concentrations in follicular fluid (FF) obtained from small-sized follicles (SF) and large-sized follicles (LF), the K+ concentration was significantly lower in LFFF. Quantitative PCR, western blot, and immunocytochemistry data revealed that TASK-3 expression levels significantly decreased by approximately 50% in both LF and granulosa cells obtained from LF (LFGCs) compared to the corresponding controls. The TASK-3 protein was localized to the plasma membrane of GCs. The diameter of LFGCs was larger than that of SFGC. The cell swelling response to exposure to a hypotonic solution (200 mOsm/L) was highly reduced in TASK-3-overexpressing cells compared to vector-transfected cells. TASK-3-knockdown cells showed arrested growth. Senescence markers were detected in LFGCs and TASK-3-knockdown cells. These findings suggest that reduced TASK-3 expression in LF is associated with the inhibition of GC growth, leading to senescence and cyst formation.

Studies investigating the acute effect of postprandial exercise (PPE) on glucose responses exhibit significant heterogeneity in terms of participant demographic, exercise protocol, and exercise timing post-meal. As such, this study aimed to further analyze the existing literature on the impact of PPE on glycemic control in individuals with overweight, obesity, and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Literature search was conducted through databases including PubMed, CINAHL, and Google Scholar. Thirty-one original research studies that met the inclusion criteria were selected. The random-effect meta-analysis was performed to compare postprandial glucose area under the curve (AUC) and 24-h mean glucose levels between PPE and the time-matched no-exercise control (CON). Subgroup analysis was conducted to explore whether the glucose-lowering effect of PPE could be influenced by exercise duration, exercise timing post-meal, and disease status of participants. This study revealed significantly reduced glucose AUC (Hedges’ g = -0.317; SE = 0.057; p < 0.05) and 24-hour mean glucose levels (Hedges’ g = -0.328; SE = 0.062; p < 0.05) following PPE than CON. The reduction in glucose AUC was greater (p < 0.05) following PPE lasting >30 min than ≤30 min. The reduction in 24-hour mean glucose levels was also greater (p < 0.05) following PPE initiated ≥60 min than <60 min post-meal and in those with T2D than those without T2D. PPE offers a viable approach for glucose management and can be performed in various forms so long as exercise duration is sufficient. The glucose-lowering effect of PPE may be further enhanced by initiating it after the first hour post-meal. PPE represents a promising strategy, particularly for patients with T2D.